More Human-like reactions

[FlyingTurtles]

Now, I realize it is only in alpha now, but these are just suggestions on the thoughts of the colonists and how they could be more human-like. I don't know how difficult these things would be to pull off but they are just ideas.

1) Colonists become immune to death over time - What I mean is that the colonists would stop caring if they killed someone. The first time they kill someone it should devastate them (based on who they are; assassins and marines shouldn't care as much), but after a while, after killing so many raiders, bandits, and pirates, killing should become second nature to them

2) Different reactions to death - This sort of goes with my first point but is a little different. Colonists should have different reactions to when their friend dies to when a raider dies. If you best bud, that has been with you since you crash landed, died you wouldn't just be like "Well, that sucks", you would be a wreck. There should also be different reactions to different ways your friend died. If your friend died by getting shot during a raid, you would be sadder (and more afraid) than if he were to die of old age or other natural causes.

3) Job influences feelings - I touched upon this a little in my first point, but assassins should not give two fudge cakes if they kill someone same goes for marines. Now there can be a marine that does not like to fight and still finds killing horrifying, but right now those are the only ones in the game, there needs to be more variety in a person's personality even if they have the same job. And for people like nobles, they could have a more negative feel than normal towards raw food or nutrient paste because they are so used to gourmet meals. Also, not every noble should be a snob. I'm sure not every noble would arrive on a desolate planet and not try to do anything, granted, they can be utter crap at farming and constructing but at least they would try to do something. Same goes for assassins, they could at least clean.

4) New Colony optimism - I'm sure that not everyone here would walk out of their escape pod saying "I am ready to build a new colony with these other people I don't know". Some people might be that optimistic, but most are not. And I know that the "New Colony optimism" thought that the colonists have in the beginning is just a buffer so your people don't just give up hope in the first two seconds of the game, but it makes the colonists seem happy that they just got stranded on a deserted planet with complete strangers.

5) More grateful colonists - The colonists always seem ungrateful. For instance, if I have been eating raw food since the day I crash landed and then I was able to build a Nutrient paste dispenser and eat that nutrient paste, I would be so happy because I would not have to eat raw food again. But over time I would realize that the paste tastes like crap, and I would want a new source of food. The colonists should be happy when they have new things like, the first time the get power, first time they eat a better meal than what they have been eating, first time they have a roof over their head, first time they slept in a bed and not on the floor, maybe a little happiness when they research something new, or when they are saved from near death by the doctor. All these things should make the person have more faith in the colony and more loyalty.

7) Other crashed pods/Passing Travelers - I always thought it seemed a little brutal that when another pod crash landed on the planet that you just threw them in jail. I understand why the colonists would do that (they have no idea who the person is or what they have done) but it would seem better if ,when the guy who crash landed wakes up, you just ask if they would like to stay with the colony. If they say yes, they instantly join the colony but if they say no, you can either decide to let them free to do what they want, or you can imprison them until they agree to stay (which would make them not trust the colony). Same goes with the passing travelers. Instead of sending someone to arrest the guy, who is just innocently wondering aimlessly around the desert, you can send you someone with a high social skill to talk to them and convince them. If they say yes, they join, if they say no, they can go free or you imprison them.

7b) More on Passing travelers - The passing traveler should have different reactions to your colony. One, they might start running away from the colonist you sent to talk to them, or, if they have a gun, they might start shooting at your colonist (this scenario would happen if they are afraid you are walking towards them to kill them). Two, if they don't run or shoot, they should stop walking when they see your colonist if they want to talk to them. Three, they might agree to join your colony, but after a while, they decide to try to steal some of your supplies and run off (they might do this because your colony is in bad shape, or if he starts to become fearful of your colony, or he is just a jerk). Or four, they just join and that's it.

[Galileus]

1) This would be impossible right now, but could lead to interesting things once we have more stuff. Instead of fear of raiders or killing and death there would be fear for other colonists. It would also be awesome if result of the battle would result in different (de)buffs - so tracking losses on both sides and time from first shot to raiders running. Ideas:
- Outnumbered but not outgunned, basically overcoming an epic battle with no more than X losses.
- Perfect plan - no losses
- Barelly standing - won, but suffered considerable loses
- Blitzkrieg - time from first shot to raiders running is lower than X*Y/Z+number of raiders
- No one leaves alive - both positive and negative (perk related) - shot all the raiders after they started to run off
- No one left behind - rescued an incapacitated man who was in close proximity to a raider

2, 3 Awesome. All for it, nothing to add at this point.

4) I know exactly what you mean. It should rely a feeling of forced happiness, one - that everyone knows is just a façade. "It cannot get worse, can it?" would rely such a feeling.

5) One of Anno games would be a good point to look at. Once you gain some level in something (could be one of many possible progress path in this game), your settlers decide to want more. It could also work on a timer - ex. happiness from upgrade would vanish after X days. This should also go the other way - after going from good food to bad they would be unhappy, and the jump between levels would decide how much. After getting delicacies on day 19236 eating a raw food would seem like these old days, when we were loosing men...

6... uhm... six? nvm

7) This is another great idea. While I have nothing to add at the moment, I would look for some inspirations in Fallouts. I cannot point anything concrete right now, but I have an epic "there is something in it!" itch.

[FlyingTurtles]

6... uhm... six? nvm

.........oops....umm, Who needs the number six anyway?

[glenn]

With veteran's day upon us, it has me thinking about the human-side of the game also.

Natural disasters and raiders are great mechanics for adversity, but what about some stories of helping people out?

* A traveler comes by and needs food for his community elsewhere (off-map or in space).  He asks you to "donate" a specific amount of food to his cause.
* A traveler comes by and needs research to heal his sick community (off-map or in space). A new research option opens that has a one-time purpose of assisting the traveler.
* A traveler needs protection from raiders who are chasing him

In all cases, if the traveler dies while he is waiting for the completion, then you lose.

The reward for these humanitarian stories could be a loyalty boost, not unlike the boost you get when your colony is new, as the colony has accomplished a shared goal.  Perhaps there is a penalty for accepting his story, but not completing it.

Now that I write it, it sounds kind of like "questing", which can probably be taken too far (like a charity that comes back every year asking for more money ), but I think it could add some interesting stories, too.

[Galileus]

I was thinking about such things for a "morality choices" topic. So I'll just dump some ideas here while we're at it

First off, it would be great to merge both ideas: human reaction to these actions. So some perks would naturally make such charity as a negative influence, some as positive - some of our settlers would see such charity as a waste and others would gain great pleasure and peace of mind knowing, that they have gone so far they are now the ones helping others. This would need to be kept as far from "good/evil" as possible - a hoarder or egoist will look badly at charity, but if they have perk - let's say - "bullied" they will look kindly at helping the guy escaping from raiders.

And that ties in into my main point - with more human side to the game comes morality as well. We have "beat/chat" for now, and I hope it'll change In examples above - we could make one of our colonists follow the guy asking for charity and steal what he got already. When someone is running from raiders, we could help either side or take the guy prisoner and sell him back to raiders (they always can disagree and attack instead). Simple travellers could be robbed, arrested and beaten or asked to rest for a while in the guest rooms.

Both systems, working alongside one another would make perks more impaction than just "+1 to whatever". It would actually matter who you take on board, it would be easier to remember them for something and it would affect the gameplay - running an evil colony with colonists than have wrong perks would quickly turn into disaster (unless they really like that colony... or are too scared to leave, which would be fun too, actually! Running an evil colony full of goody-two-shoes forced into submission with fear... )

[Littlemule]

How about the implications of helping out wandering travelers being chased by raiders, afterwards they turn up and help you out when you are being attacked

[lt_halle]

On the subject of human reactions, I think there should also be prisoners who outright refuse to join your colony. Basically while imprisoned just give them a -50 fear/happiness modifier called "Refuses to recruit" and disable the try to recruit option. I mean, think about it - not every raider is gonna get shot nearly to death, watch you murder all his buddies and then happily assimilate into your population 4 days later. Perhaps have a trait like "loyal" or something that makes it much less likely for colonists with it to defect but also much less likely for prisoners with it to be able to be recruited.

[Morrigi]

On the subject of human reactions, I think there should also be prisoners who outright refuse to join your colony. Basically while imprisoned just give them a -50 fear/happiness modifier called "Refuses to recruit" and disable the try to recruit option. I mean, think about it - not every raider is gonna get shot nearly to death, watch you murder all his buddies and then happily assimilate into your population 4 days later. Perhaps have a trait like "loyal" or something that makes it much less likely for colonists with it to defect but also much less likely for prisoners with it to be able to be recruited.

That's a good idea. It would give the "execute" option a use...

[Caladin]

6... uhm... six? nvm

http://youtu.be/_f_p0CgPeyA?t=2m16s

Anyway, I would like to see some more reactions; at the moment everyone is too predictable (to add to this, maybe some people could 'crack' after seeing one of their friends die/killing someone for the first time; could make colony defense that little bit more interesting.)